The Stone Dragon Page 3

  Cat looked at her sister, who simply shrugged.

  "How about here? Let's spread the blanket out beside this tree and set up the grub. I'm hungry and this looks like a good spot to relax."

  Cat looked around. The area was quiet with no one else around. And while not her first choice, it did look like a nice spot that she could legitimately have been bringing someone to see.

  "Sounds perfect."

  She spread out the blanket, a nice big comforter that she'd used on her bed as a child with the Thundercats on it, while Vanessa opened her bag and took out the food.

  Evelyn sat down and looked around.

  "This is nice here, really peaceful. Is it usually busier? It doesn't seem like the kind of place people would normally be drawn to." She pointed over at the thick trees. "It's a little dark over there and I think some people would worry about animals stealing their food."

  Cat looked over to where she was gesturing and smiled."No, the last few times I was here it was just us. It's kind of a special place, but it looks a little different each time we visit. The first time I was here, it had a big hill, then when I came with Vanessa last time it had this big tree, but now it seems to have all these other little trees beside it. I'm not sure if it actually changes, or if it just looks different each time based on which direction we see it from."

  Evelyn looked at her curiously. "What does that mean?"

  Cat smiled sheepishly before answering.

  "We wanted to see if we could help you with your powers, especially with the nightmares you've been having since the showdown with Declan. You've been getting the brunt of it over the last few months. While we've had a chance to rest and relax since the play, you've been having all these awful dreams that we can't really help you with. But I was hoping, and Vanessa agreed," Cat looked at her sister who nodded, "that maybe we could see if Robin was around and would open the fairy glade for us. The last couple of times it was for me and Vanessa to meet our teachers, but maybe it's your turn."

  Evelyn's face displayed several emotions, with equal parts of irritation, fear, and gratitude mixing before she finally answered.

  "I don't want you guys to worry about me. You don't need to. But I appreciate the sentiment, and if I can get a teacher that will help me control and develop my powers better the way you did with yours, I'm willing to try."

  "Are you sure?" Cat asked. "It's a big deal coming to this place. Time moves a lot differently here. Our parents know about this place and what to expect, so if we take longer than we think we will, they can let your mom know where you are. But there isn't any going back after this. You know that, right?"

  Evelyn looked back at Cat stoically. "I know. I remember how both of you were afterward and know things won't be the same. But it's time, we all get that. We need to start working on being a unit and if we're going to do that, I have to be able to control my gift on my own. To be able to use it as our information system, but in a way that doesn't make me crazy. I'm ready to learn, if it's something that they, whoever they are, want to help me with."

  Vanessa looked pleased. "Good. Well, let's eat then. The door isn't open anyway and I really am hungry. Also, I have it on good authority that the best way to get interest from the people of the Sidhe is a little bread, butter, and honey, so let's give it a minute."

  Cat shook her head. Trust her sister to think about a detail like that. First you think she's not paying attention, then she hits you up with something insightful. Jerk. The girls ate while talking about school and Vanessa spoke about some of the acting opportunities she'd seen in the newspaper. Lunch was awkward in the sense that Evelyn and Vanessa didn't have much in common, outside of saving the world and being alpha females, but it went smoothly enough considering. Vanessa had just brought up the idea of needing to rent a place in the city to start trying out for acting jobs when Evelyn became distracted and stopped listening.

  Cat followed Evelyn's gaze across the clearing and noticed a greenish tinge that seemed to be expanding, lighting up the darker areas near the grandfather tree. It took a few more seconds before Vanessa realized that the other two girls were no longer paying attention to what she was saying, then she looked at the phenomenon as well.

  The grandfather tree was completely different to how it had appeared when they'd first entered the forested glade. It seemed larger somehow, with the four smaller oak trees beside it now looking like supplicants or advisors, instead of the normal trees they'd seen earlier. It was now crystal clear to each of them that this tree was draped in power. Looking at its base, Cat could easily see that there was a dark depression now present and looked to Evelyn with wide eyes.

  Evelyn spoke matter-of-factly. "Looks like it's time to go after all. Shall we?"

  Cat and Vanessa nodded and quickly packed their things before they stood up. Looking determined, Cat pointed toward the darkness ahead of them.

  "After you, Evelyn. This trip's for you, so you should go first."

  Cat and Vanessa followed her to the tree as the hollow at the base became more obvious. Evelyn walked ahead of the other two girls and as she neared the tree, the hollow appeared to grow in size. By the time they reached the tree, the hole was large enough to walk through. Cat took a deep breath, feeling as nervous as she'd been on the first occasion she'd entered Summerland. She didn't think she'd ever get used to it. The idea that there was magic in her world was hard enough to comprehend. But the fact that other worlds also existed that could only be seen under special circumstances was something she was still having a hard time believing. Even though it was right in front of her and she could see, touch, and feel it all around as she passed through the short tunnel.

  They entered into a sunlit-dappled glade with dandelion puffs floating daintily in the air around them and what initially looked like bees buzzing around bright coloured flowers in the nearby field. When Cat looked more closely, she could see that the winged creatures were most certainly not bees, with sharp, childlike faces to match their tiny, humanoid bodies. When the creatures noticed the girls, the humming noise intensified and a few came closer to buzz around Vanessa, who smiled at them with delight.

  Raising her arms, she made a small gust of wind and floated up into the air with them. She spun gracefully with her long dark hair spiralling around her for a few moments, before gently settling back down to the ground again. Evelyn gasped, surprised both by Vanessa and the fairy-like insects, and entranced by the fairy glade itself. At the same moment, a small boy dropped out of the grandfather tree behind them with a pop.

  "Aha! My lassies have arrived! In truth, it has been forever since you were last here!"

  A winsome nut-brown little boy smiled, twinkling up at the girls mischievously. He looked no more then eight or nine years old, if you didn't notice his very dark and oddly shaped eyes. When you did, it became obvious that he was a very old and powerful being around whom you should tread lightly, regardless of the warmth of his smile. Cat and Vanessa both bowed carefully, but Evelyn stood still, continuing to stare mutely at him. Cat nudged her, jerking her head towards the little boy and willing her to do something to acknowledge his presence. Cat wasn't expecting the words she heard her friend speak next.

  "Good day, Robin. How are you?"

  Robin somersaulted over to Evelyn's feet and tickled them, making her laugh. Vanessa and Cat looked at each other in surprise. This was not the greeting of two unacquainted people. Evelyn noted their confusion, smiling for the first time since entering the glade.

  "Robin has been kind enough to try to keep my spirits up the last few months. I told you about the dreams, but forgot to tell you that Robin was there with me every night I've had one. I didn't realize he was the same Robin you've been telling me about though, just that he was a friend keeping me company in my nighttime hell." She looked at Robin with gratitude. "Thanks for being there for me. I'm not sure if I'd have been able to handle it alone."

  Robin waved off her thanks with a childish gesture. "Of course you could! Yo
u have great strength within you. Why do you think you've been granted the sight? It isn't just anyone with depths enough to see the cloaked man and stand up to the ice in what passes for a soul in that creature."

  Robin noticed that the other two girls still looked confused and his demeanour changed from childish to serious. "Sit down girls and I'll tell you a story. Not all the details of course, as that isn't my way, but I will tell you enough for now so that you can begin your journey."

  The girls all sat down, crossed-legged in the sun-dappled clearing surrounded by flowers and without a single creature moving. The hush that had fallen upon the glade like a down comforter added a solemnity to Robin that had been absent only seconds before. When he spoke, it was a tale from long ago.

  "Once upon a time, before man had learned to build great steel and glass edifices, people lived simply and together. They worked hard and feared what they didn't understand, because it kept them and their loved ones safe most of the time. In a far away country where I generally choose to reside, people were loathe to walk out over the moors in the dark without protection, and if not absolutely required. You see, when the earth was young, people dwelled with others who did not live by the same rules or limitations. Mankind feared and respected their powers and took care not to anger those they came in contact with."

  Robin stopped to look at the girls. Cat knew that Vanessa and Evelyn were as impressed as she was. Robin continued and Cat felt the magic of the story begin to wrap around her, causing her to see what he was talking about as though she was watching a movie.

  "In general, this worked out well for both groups. For mankind, hearth and home kept out the others who would harm them, as fire and iron were generally distasteful to their enemies. For the others, it made mankind easier to avoid. It could be an uneasy truce at times, with frequent breaches on both sides. The majority wanted nothing to do with discord. But a few of the Sidhe, whom we shall call the dark ones, felt that mankind were usurpers and should be eliminated whenever possible. They treated them either as a tasty snack, or as bugs that one would step on simply because they were annoying."

  Robin paused, looking at the faces of the girls who were watching him with rapt attention. He sighed sadly before continuing, somewhat reluctantly, as the story turned darker.

  "One night during this time of uneasiness, a traveler was left out in the cold, unable to find shelter from the elements and whatever else was out there, out of time to beat the dusk to safety. Many men fear darkness today, but it was even more common then, when the darkness had eyes and teeth and roamed freely across the land. The traveler's name is long since lost, but legend has it that he had arrived near the outskirts of a small village shortly after nightfall. According to the tale, an old man heard a noise outside and as he looked out of a small window in his thatched cottage trying to see what it was, he saw a man on a horse. The man himself was normal in appearance, as was the horse. But as the old man watched, a dark and ominous fog rolled up behind the stranger, swiftly engulfing him. The old man heard one awful, piercing scream and the shrill whinny of a terrified horse, then silence returned. The dark fog lingered for a moment before opening up like a hand and melting away, with no sign of the man or the horse remaining."

  The girls looked at Robin, swept up in the story but confused.

  "But what does this have to do with the dark man?" Cat blurted out, feeling a blush begin to creep up her neck.

  Robin smiled at her discomfort with a small twinkle of his usual carefree humour.

  "Oh lassie, we are coming to the meat of the story now, never fear! The old man, fearful of what he had seen, closed his blinds and tried to sleep, putting the terrible sight behind him. The next day dawned as always and village life went on as per usual. But that same day, a traveler came to the village. The old man was selling his wares in the market when he saw a normal looking man on a horse moving through the centre of the carts. He felt his soul touched with ice as he recognized the very same man he'd watched disappear the night before."

  Robin stopped again, drawing out the story and Cat could tell that Vanessa was getting frustrated.

  "So that was the dark man then?" asked Vanessa.

  Her words were more clipped than usual when speaking to Robin and he gave her a chiding look in response. Cat watched with surprise as Vanessa's cheeks flushed. She'd never seen her sister look embarrassed before and hadn't realized she'd gotten the blushing gene as well. Feeling amused, she looked back at Robin while Vanessa ducked her head down. Robin continued from where he'd left off, at the same slow and dramatic pace.

  "Outwardly, the man appeared the same as when the old man had last seen him, but when the peasant looked carefully at the stranger, he saw that his eyes were dark and seemed to repel the light. His face was an expressionless marble mask. The horse had a shiny black coat and eyes that glowed a muted red, normal appearing from afar, but as they passed by the old man's cart he swore he felt them burning his skin. The old man was terrified, feeling coldness sweep over his body with a sudden icy wind. He dropped to his knees, unable to bear his own weight any longer. As he huddled, unnoticed by the stranger, he heard a commotion. Cursing his cowardice he stayed down, frozen with terror into a crouched ball on the ground. He heard people screaming and crying before the noise was replaced by the most awful laughter he'd ever heard. When the noise stopped after what felt like hours, he rose on trembling knees and looked around. The man was gone, but so was most of the village."

  Evelyn spoke, interrupting Robin for the first time as politely as she could. "But who was this man? What happened?"

  Robin smiled sadly. "What the man didn't realize was that he had watched the darkness take a human for its own and use it to do its bidding." Seeing that the girls still appeared confused, Robin explained further. "The darkness, as humans called it vaguely, wasn't true nighttime, or even pure evil, but rather a creature known as Doow, spelled D-u-b, the son of a witch named Carman who'd come to Ireland long before the written word. He was one of three great evil creatures, long thought banished by the great Irish warriors of myth, the Tuatha de Danaan. But Dub, being formless and dark, had merely melted away into the cracks and crannies until the great warriors had passed into song and tale and no longer roamed the land keeping humans safe. He waited for his moment for a long time, until the old ways were fading away but not yet completely gone. By taking a body, Dub had at last chosen to come out of hiding at a time when he wouldn't be challenged and could take over whatever and whenever he wished."

  Cat felt even more overwhelmed by what faced them after listening to Robin's explanation. "So we are literally fighting the darkness?" she asked. "How does one win against something that has no form? No weaknesses?"

  Robin tapped his finger against his nose.

  "Aha! That is the query, dearie! And a fine place to start indeed. You see, the darkness does have a weakness, as do all men. The evil you must confront is combined of both and they are the same. But man is frail, and without the darkness, that challenger would be long dust, so not really a worry for you. But the darkness now, therein lies the riddle. What drove the darkness away the last time was Lug, son of the Sun god."

  Cat looked at him, aghast. "A god? Okay, do we have a shot at all here? Or should I take up drinking and driving and get my life over with now?"

  Vanessa rolled her eyes at her sister and snorted. "And I'm the dramatic one? Please."

  Evelyn smiled weakly and shook her head at both of them, even as worry shadowed her face. Robin chortled as well, then began to bounce around the field again, looking like a small happy boy for the first time in what felt like hours since he'd begun his tale. He came to a stop in front of Cat and gently held her chin in his left hand, looking at her intently.

  "It is this fire that you will need, Lady Firebird. This intensity, this light, will guide you to victory. You will not do it alone of course, your sister and your friend will help guide and give you wings. But you shall also find another who will help you
sail your vessel down the river to the other side. You will only know when you are able to see, but you will not be alone."

  And as suddenly as he'd become serious, he let go of her chin, gave a flourishing bow and stood back up sharply, facing Evelyn. "Miss Evelyn, your guide will soon appear to you in dreams, taking my place. You have much to learn."

  He spun around swiftly and seemed to vanish into the trees, leaving the girls alone in the fairy glade.

  "Is he gone?" Vanessa asked curiously, looking around the glade. Cat noted that the hum of insects had returned to its previous levels.

  Cat and Evelyn looked around as well and nodded.

  "It looks like it," Cat said.

  "What did he mean by the vessel thing?" Evelyn asked, more curious about that fact than anything else Robin had said. Given the dreams she'd been having, she didn't look shocked to hear that the dark man was some ancient evil that the gods had been forced to take down the last time.

  Cat shrugged. "I don't know. It sounds like we should be expecting another person to help us with this, but he was pretty cryptic about what to look for. I hope it means someone else with powers will be sent to give us a hand. A god of some sort would be super nice," said Cat, glaring at the thought.

  Vanessa shook her head again, darkly amused. "Yeah, that'd be great. What or who did we piss off to get all this lovely responsibility? I'd have been totally fine without powers if a guarantee of no crazy magic crap happening to me came along with it. Instead, here we are, three pretty awesome chicks with super powers and the potential for an early 'crappily ever after' in the near future. Man, I thought high school was rough. Sorry guys, you may not be graduating next year after all."

  Cat shrugged, surprising the other two when she responded to Vanessa's fit of pique with resignation after her previous outburst.

  "Actually, I pretty much figured after what happened last year that I had an expiry date that would come prior to my best before date. With great power comes great responsibility, as they all say. Balance must be kept somehow, right?"